Friday, June 3, 2011

Tourist Tacos versus Authentic Cuisine

I think I have the formula down:

A=Tortilla
B=Beans
C=Beef or Chicken
D= Cheese

A+B+C+D= The same dish served in many different combinations. Jumble them together, mix them up, any way you slice it these four ingredients are typically the same combination found in many Americanized Mexican restaurants. Now you can go the route of tourist tacos at your favorite McMexican cafe or you seek out the real deal. If you want authenticity in Jackson Tennessee, you need to go visit Taqueria El Mezcal,

Situated in the Hamilton Hills Shopping Center, El Mezcal Latin Grocery offers goods from a variety of Latin American countries. Looking for a pinata or dried Jalapeno peppers? The Grocery features a number of dried goods, spices and food products. But the focus of this journey is not what's in the front of the grocery but what's in the back of the store.

Walking through El Mezcal the smell of home cooking hits your nose. A little elderly woman with a bundle of fresh onions walks into a small kitchen. The sound of Telemundo Latin television can be heard from a small color television. The backroom of the grocery leads into a full service restaurant. The daily menu is affectionately written on a dry erase board.

The Taqueria features Mexican favorites like Menudo and Shrimp stew.The menu lists such specialties as beef tongue known as 'lengua'. For those who have never had lengua, it is like the most tender pot roast. Served in stews, taco and sandwiches called 'tortas'. It is wonderful. They also feature goat, steak known as 'asada' and one of my favorite's known as Al Pastor. Pastor is pork marinated in fruit juices, chilies and pineapple. Mexican barbecue known as 'barbacoa' is also a customer favorite.

Mexican traditional dishes like tripe tacos, chorizo Mexican sausage or pork carnitas are also on the menu. While perusing the menu I found one of my favorite dishes known as 'Mole Poblano. Mole is a sauce made up of several ingredients featuring Chili peppers and chocolate. Their mole poblano is a sweet, smokey dark gravy that is served over chicken.

From the warm fresh tortillas to the rich creamy gravy of the mole, Taqeria El Mezcal is the real deal. You now have a choice, go to the same four ingredients or try out authentic cuisine...